Are You Distracted?
I know I am.
As I’m trying to get this blog post up, I’m wondering what the kids decided to make themselves for lunch. I hope they remembered to include at least one vegetable!
And the accumulation of cat hair in my office is starting to make me sneeze. I REALLY need to find some time to vacuum today.
Oh, and I’m wondering if the potential client who contacted me last week was pleased with my proposal. I still haven’t heard from her…
You see? It’s enough to drive me to… to distraction!
Here are some ways I’ve found of working around all these niggly things that scream for my attention.
1. Put my headphones on and play some soft music. It really does help! All of a sudden, I can’t hear the kids arguing in the next room. (They’re teenagers, so they can handle most disagreements on their own.) The voices in my head reminding me of everything else I have to do quiet down, and I just focus on the music and what I have to do right now.
2. Write a to-do list. Whenever an idea pops into my head, I jot it down on a list. Whether it’s something I have to do later, or an exciting new idea I want to pursue, it’s written down so I don’t have to remember it anymore. Instead, I can return to it when I’m ready.
3. Schedule lots of breaks into my day. For a long time, I was in the trap of believing that since I could work whenever I wanted, I had to work ALL the time! I’ve found I’m much more productive when I give myself plenty of breaks to take care of household chores, talk to the kids, or even read a few pages of a book. When I return to my desk, I’m refreshed and able to concentrate again.
4. Take care of whatever is bugging me. Sometimes it’s one big thing that’s really driving me crazy and keeping my attention from where it should be. I’ve learned the big thing sometimes is to just deal with it. Usually, it’s something I’ve been procrastinating on, or something I don’t like to do. But once I take care of it, the distraction is gone and I’m ready to handle everything else.
What are your biggest distractions when you work at home?
What are your secrets for dealing with your distractions?
Denise Willms is a Virtual Assistant and work-at-home-mom to two teens. You can find more articles about working at home by visiting WAHM-Articles.com
November 17th, 2009 at 2:26 pm
Hi Denise! My son is only 2 1/2 so I have some major distractions trying to work full time from home!
I HAVE to write out my to-do list before I go to bed and stick to it….or I feel like I’m just spinning my wheels. I give myself lots of breaks, too! Thanks for your post!
November 17th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
My biggest distraction actually comes from my husband, not my kids. The way I deal with it is to schedule the work that requires heavy concentration for when he’s asleep or gone.
November 17th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
MariLee, a 2 1/2 year old is a MAJOR distraction! It’s awesome that you’ve found a way to make it work.
Oh DeAnna, I can relate to that! My husband works during the day when I do most of my work. But when he takes a day off midweek, I know I won’t get anything done that day.